Is your cultural organisation based in Africa and planning a collaborative contemporary-arts project across African countries in 2027? The Institut français AOCA programme supports qualifying cultural operators and artistic collaborations taking place in Africa.
Funding, deadline and scope
- Funder: Institut français
- Funding: €5,000–15,000 per award
- Grant share: up to 50% of the total project budget
- Application deadline: 30 October 2026
- Implementation: 2027 programme activities in Africa, subject to official call terms
- Sector: Contemporary performing and visual arts, music, live creation and qualifying collaborations.
Who should apply?
The call is aimed at African cultural operators and relevant institutions with qualifying international or cross-border artistic projects. The project must meet detailed circulation, coproduction or collaborative format conditions in the official call. Funding is not a general operating grant for all NGOs and it is not available for an unrelated local community-development activity.
Qualifying project design
A credible proposal will identify the participating artists, local cultural partners, venues, countries, dates and audiences. It should explain the artistic purpose, cross-border value, practical delivery capability, expected audiences and a realistic costed programme. The French cultural network’s support is relevant for applications not directly led by that network; verify the specific official support-letter condition before applying.
The 50% financing rule
The grant can cover no more than half the full project budget. For example, a proposed €20,000 cultural project might seek up to €10,000 under AOCA, but only if the applicant meets all programme rules and can evidence the remaining financing. This is an illustrative budget calculation, not an indication that any award has been agreed or reserved.
What to prepare before submission
- Map every participating organisation, artist, country, date and performance or exhibition location against the AOCA criteria.
- Obtain required cultural-network support or documentation and verify authority to submit.
- Prepare the full project and financial plan, including confirmed and pending co-financing sources.
- Explain gender inclusion, environmental responsibility, audience development and how the collaboration strengthens local artistic ecosystems.
- Submit through the Institut français’s official application route before 30 October 2026.
Official application information
Read the Institut français AOCA 2027 call and online submission guidance. Consult the French-language rules, eligible project formats and attachments and use the official “Candidater” link.
Frequently asked questions
Can an African cultural NGO apply? Yes, if it is a qualifying cultural operator with a project that meets the AOCA programme rules.
How much support is available? €5,000–15,000, subject to the funder’s selection process.
Does the grant fund 100% of the budget? No. Support is capped at 50% of the total project budget.
Is a purely local project eligible? Not necessarily. The call focuses on particular international or collaborative cultural formats; compare your proposal with the official eligibility conditions.
When does the application close? 30 October 2026.
Application readiness
Use the Africads Funding Readiness Toolkit to assess project evidence and financial feasibility. Subscribe to Africads Grant News for more opportunities. For proposal structuring, explore GrantsWriterAI and review outputs against the funder’s conditions.
